Originating at New York University’s College of Nursing and spreading across the NYU health science campus, the Interprofessional Education Group (IPEG) is a student-led Special Interest Group (SIG) with a focus on oral-systemic health.
IPEG’s mission is to prepare health profession students, including nursing, medical, dental, dental hygiene, physical therapy, public health, social work, speech and nutrition, to work together, learn from each other and embrace the various perspectives and skills that each profession offers in order to build a safer and more efficient, patient-centered healthcare system.
Guided by the Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (IPEC), IPEG aims to translate interprofessional education (IPE) into interprofessional practice (IPP), transforming students into members of high performing clinical teams that integrate oral healthcare in clinical settings.
In its year of existence, IPEG has already sponsored two IPE Grand Rounds in the Fall 2015 semester, providing a unique opportunity for interprofessional teams of students to collaboratively analyze a case study (written by the IPEG Executive Board and reviewed by faculty) and provide their unique perspectives on the assessment and care planning for a patient with cardiovascular disease and multiple co-morbidities, including oral health problems. During this event, dental and dental hygiene students also taught their peers the basic oral exam, oral risk prevention strategies and appropriate referral methods. The TeamSTEPPS SBAR technique was used as a collaborative communication tool to make a referral to another profession.
IPEG has also sponsored the “Say Ahh!” Oral Health Documentary screening, a film which explores the real life connection between the mouth and body in an attempt to raise awareness about the importance of delivering preventive oral health care in the primary care setting and improving the structure of referrals from primary care to dentistry.
IPEG initiatives have been lauded by students and faculty alike for their innovation, relevance, scope and contribution to advancing interprofessional education on our NYU campus. We want to thank the IPEG Executive Board for their vision, drive and commitment to this excellent initiative!
Start an interprofessional student group at your university! To learn more please contact ohnep@nyu.edu.
All 4 Oral Health 
Great post!
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